Tag Archives: change life

A woman living in Australia decides to journey back to India to explore her roots in this inspirational new book released by Dog Ear Publishing.

An online romance gone horribly wrong leads a woman to resign from her job and re-examine her life. Instead of planning a wedding after a long-distance romance, she faces the possibility of being blackmailed and humiliated. This new compelling memoir describes the passion, betrayal, humiliation, love and friendship the author experienced. Nandita Chakraborty, who felt trapped between two cultures and in a desperate situation of her own making takes readers on a roller coaster trip to redemption, trust and love.

“Missing Peace: Love, Life & Me” shares Chakraborty’s second failed attempt at love and its shattering effect. When a counselor agrees she needs to get away for a while, Chakraborty gives away most of her belongings and sets out on a journey that will change her life. As she sets out on this new chapter, she decides to chronicle the steps she takes and the people she meets, both familiar faces and new ones. Chakraborty begins to find peace in the fellowship and workout of yoga, healing her spirit and body. When she returns to Melbourne, she does so with a new sense of who she is. A serious accident and long recovery leave their mark on her mind and body, but she finds faith to open herself to life once again.

Author Nandita Chakraborty was born into a conservative Indian family connected to the arts. Her father was an award-winning filmmaker in Indian cinema, and famous artists routinely dined with the family. Nandita and her siblings went to boarding school near Meghalaya, India, and later moved to New Dehli, where she attended Sri Venketeswara University and studied political science by day and attended fashion and visual merchandising school by night. In her third year in college, she decided to pursue a diploma in visual merchandising, leaving behind her career in political science. Now days she creates beauty and love in stories she writes. She now lives in Melbourne, Australia.

A young boy has an unforgettable adventure when a fisherman invites him to celebrate whales in this new book released by Dog Ear Publishing.

Ten-year-old Sam and his parents are traveling the southern coast of Africa just past Cape Town when they decide to stretch their legs in a small fishing village. That stop will change Sam’s life forever. This charming new illustrated children’s book shares the enchanting story of what happened in the village and the amazing people Sam and his parents met.

One of the first characters in “A Midnight Song” is a whale crier, who blows a kelp horn to let the villagers know whales have been spotted in the bay. Certain whales live there all year, but during whale season, other species join them and bring their babies to be raised there until the whales continue their migration. Baruti, a wise fisherman, invites Sam and his parents to his village’s whale festival. Baruti’s niece, Kiki, secretly shows Sam a magical flute related to a tribal legend about Yemaya, mother goddess of the ocean. Eventually, Yemaya plays a flute she carved, entertaining the gentle giants in the bay. Although nobody else has her skill, a young boy who follows her creates his own instrument from dried sea kelp, becoming the first whale crier.

Kiki, who has secretly inherited Yemaya’s flute, plays it for the whales for the first time during Sam’s visit. Although she plays beautifully, no whales appear in the moonlit bay. Just when they’re ready to give up, something magical happens and whales join in the beautiful lullaby.

Sam’s experiences in the village influence his life: He grows up to be a marine biologist, and his group studies the humpback whales that visit Hermanus Bay. At last he can live out his childhood dream of swimming with the whales.

Colorful illustrations by Marty Petersen pair beautifully with this magical story inspired by a trip to Hawaii the author took with her family in 1997. The tale works well for reading aloud as a family or quiet reading by older children.

Author C.L. Peck developed her storytelling talents as a preschool teacher and as a mother to two children, Casey and Alissa, who are now grown. She lives on the Central Coast of California with her husband, Tony. Her son, Casey, took a mission trip to South Africa while taking a break from college and actually visited Hermanus, the real-life version of the imaginary village described so vividly in “A Midnight Song.”